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                        German Armour Abbreviations?

                        1088 views
                        22 replies
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                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        German Armour Abbreviations?
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 8:33 AM
                        Hi all,

                        I've resently bought a book on German armour and I'm having a hard understanding the abbreviations used. Does anyone know of any good websites that explain what all the abbreviations are for a novice like me?

                        Thanks,
                        Jesse
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 8:46 AM
                        Maybe www.achtungpanzer.com

                        Which abbreviations are you having trouble with?
                        Pzkpfw is Panzer KampfWagen, Armoured war vehicle
                        S.PzAbt is Schweres Panzer Abteilung.. Heavy armoured division..
                        PzKp is PanzerKorps.. Armoured Corps.
                        Ausf. is Ausfuhrung.. Model/version
                        Stug is SturmGeschutz.. Assault gun

                        Those two are the ones I can remember off hand just now.
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 9:08 AM
                        Two more:

                        Flak - Fleiger Abwher Kanon (anti aircraft cannon)
                        PAK - Panzer Abwher kanon (anti tank cannon)
                        Report Abuse
                        zokissima
                        • Member since
                          July 2003
                        • From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
                        Posted by zokissima on Thursday, February 26, 2004 9:12 AM
                        Lol, on behalf of all the german abbrev. newbs, thanks.
                        At least I can say I learned something new today :)
                        Report Abuse
                        Rob Gronovius
                        • Member since
                          December 2002
                        • From: Fort Knox
                        Posted by Rob Gronovius on Thursday, February 26, 2004 9:30 AM
                        I always remember this one:
                        Sonderkraftfahrzeug (SdKfz) - Special Purpose Motor Vehicle

                        It was a misinformation name since the Germans were not supposed to be developing warmachines after WW1. This is why all of their tanks and military vehicles have an SdKfz #. They weren't building warmachines, they were building special purpose vehicles. ;)
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 9:42 AM
                        Hey all, Thanks a million. Now I can finally understand what I'm reading. Here's a tough one; if you were talking with a friend and you wanted to mention a 'Pzkpfw', how do you say it?
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 9:55 AM
                        panszher cammpf waagun
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                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 10:04 AM
                        I find it easiest to simply say "Panzer" then add the model # on I - IV (ie Panzer III), Panzer V I simply refer to as "Panther" and Panzer VI is the (in)famous Tiger.
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 10:08 AM
                        Michael: something I have been wondering, is the German "w" pronunced with the english "v" sound (wagen pronounced vagen)?
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 11:19 AM
                        Just another note, 'Panzer' is the German word for chain mail. .. the mailed fist of the Panzer Divisions.

                        Correct me if I'm wrong!

                        Ron
                        Report Abuse
                        wipw
                        • Member since
                          January 2003
                        • From: Utah - USA
                        Posted by wipw on Thursday, February 26, 2004 11:25 AM
                        Derek, yes it is. (Or should I say Ja!) lol

                        A German V is pronounced like an English F So a Volkswagen is properly pronounced Folks-Vagen (or peoples car).

                        The exception to the W-V rule, at least as I was told when in Germany, is that Wurst (or sausage) is pronounced as a W not a V. Go figure!! lol

                        okay, how did I get from Panzers to cars to sausage???

                        Oha, and thanks to the rest of you also. There were lots of these I didn't know the translation for either.
                        Bill ========================================================== DML M4A2 Red Army ========================================================== ========================================================== -- There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness". (Author unknown)
                        Report Abuse
                        wipw
                        • Member since
                          January 2003
                        • From: Utah - USA
                        Posted by wipw on Thursday, February 26, 2004 11:30 AM
                        One more quickie...

                        In German, when you have two vowels together (like ei), you pronounce the second one, not the first. So Abteilung is Ab-Ti-Loong, with the u being pronounced as a double 'o' as in 'soon'.

                        Okay, Deutch 101 is dismissed for the day!!

                        Wilhelm
                        Bill ========================================================== DML M4A2 Red Army ========================================================== ========================================================== -- There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness". (Author unknown)
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 11:35 AM
                        Ron: I believe "panzer" = "armor" and can be used in referance to plate OR chain mail.

                        Bill: Thanks for the German lesson! Was wondering about Abteilung.

                        Theodoric
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                        wipw
                        • Member since
                          January 2003
                        • From: Utah - USA
                        Posted by wipw on Thursday, February 26, 2004 11:40 AM
                        Anytime, Mein Heir!
                        Bill ========================================================== DML M4A2 Red Army ========================================================== ========================================================== -- There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness". (Author unknown)
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 1:17 PM
                        Thanks Derek!

                        I'll have to use that one in Germany this summer im Kunstmuseum.

                        Ron
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                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 1:25 PM
                        Derek,

                        I was going to quip that mail came before plate, and the name just carried over, but then I remembered the coats of plate worn prior to mail, so maybe Panzer applied to them too? So would panzer also be small plates laced to a coat or.....

                        Is this going anywhere??Tongue [:P]
                        Well, gotta go work on a pair of guantlets (plate)

                        Ron
                        Report Abuse
                        erush
                        • Member since
                          May 2003
                        • From: USA, GA
                        Posted by erush on Thursday, February 26, 2004 1:36 PM
                        During my short stay in Germany I just learned a few of the more important words...

                        Hefeweisen, Schnitzel and a few others. Had my first Doner over there too! Big Smile [:D]

                        Hmmmm, it's a good thing I just had a 17 day annual tour over there. If I was stationed there I'd be on the Large Sarge program in no time!!

                        Uuuuummm, did I change the subject here> Blush [:I] Wink [;)] Big Smile [:D]

                        Eric

                        Hi, I'm Eric and I'm a Modelholic too. I think I have PE poisioning. "Friendly fire...isn't"
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 2:12 PM
                        QUOTE: Originally posted by Rob Gronovius

                        They weren't building warmachines, they were building special purpose vehicles. ;)


                        Makes sense in a way. The special purpose being to motor on into their neighboring countries and set up shop.
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 2:17 PM
                        QUOTE: Originally posted by claymore68

                        Ron: I believe "panzer" = "armor" and can be used in referance to plate OR chain mail.


                        Yeah, it literally means "armour." So gepanzert means "armoured" and panzerstecher means "armour piercing" (a panzerstecher was a kind of sword used against heavily armoured opponents -- it literally means "armour sticker" because it ws designed to plunge through plate armour -- these were huge swords).

                        Interestingly, the Polish world Pancerni means armoured man, but it has nothing at all to do with the German word "Panzer." It is pan (man) plus cerni (armoured).

                        Ron is a pancerni in a manner or speaking!
                        Report Abuse
                        shermanfreak
                        • Member since
                          January 2003
                        Posted by shermanfreak on Thursday, February 26, 2004 2:44 PM
                        QUOTE: Originally posted by jmorgan_11

                        Hey all, Thanks a million. Now I can finally understand what I'm reading. Here's a tough one; if you were talking with a friend and you wanted to mention a 'Pzkpfw', how do you say it?


                        Sherman Target Tongue [:P]Tongue [:P]Tongue [:P]
                        Happy Modelling and God Bless Robert
                        Report Abuse
                        wipw
                        • Member since
                          January 2003
                        • From: Utah - USA
                        Posted by wipw on Thursday, February 26, 2004 2:46 PM
                        The only target a "Sherman" ever had was the buffet table!!

                        (Hi, Robert!!) LOL
                        Bill ========================================================== DML M4A2 Red Army ========================================================== ========================================================== -- There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness". (Author unknown)
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 26, 2004 2:48 PM
                        QUOTE: Originally posted by Larry_Dunn

                        .......
                        Interestingly, the Polish world Pancerni means armoured man, but it has nothing at all to do with the German word "Panzer." It is pan (man) plus cerni (armoured).

                        Ron is a pancerni in a manner or speaking!


                        LOL !

                        Well! Pardon me while I go run through some brick walls!Big Smile [:D]

                        Ron
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 6, 2004 9:21 PM
                        Try these links:
                        http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/8141/halftracks.html
                        http://www.feldgrau.com/glossary.html
                        I think between these two all abbreviations are covered.
                        Report Abuse
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